Sofia Xanthakou is an architect whose work begins, first and foremost, with listening. Based in Athens, where she now lives and works, her path has taken her through New York and London—cities that shaped not only her practice, but her way of seeing. After studying at Pratt Institute and later at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, she returned to Greece with a quieter, more grounded vision of what architecture could be.

In 2022, she founded LocalLocal, a practice rooted in the belief that every place carries its own language—and that thoughtful design begins by paying attention. Her work is guided by materials, light, and a deep respect for context. Nothing feels rushed or imposed, only carefully considered and allowed to unfold.

We spoke to Sofia about building a practice that feels true to her, working with intention, and the quiet discipline of staying close to your own way of seeing.

heiter: Can you tell us a little about your journey into architecture, and what first drew you to a more philosophy-led, context-based approach to design?

Sofia: I’ve always been drawn to buildings, cities and the urban fabric in general, but it was after my undergrad studies that I became really interested in the reasoning behind design, and how design can be responsive to its context, whether that’s socially, environmentally or culturally. That's when context became central to how I think and approach my work.

h: Your work with LocalLocal feels deeply rooted in context and vernacular architecture. How do you approach designing in a way that feels both contemporary and respectful of place?

S: Materials are a big part of my approach. I look for materials that feel intimate and relative to the context, something that inherently belongs, but at the same time the spaces themselves should still feel fresh and neutral, not overly nostalgic pastiche.

An awareness of natural light and the role it plays in a space is also important, it gives a space a unique quality, and it changes through the day in a way that keeps a space feeling alive. If I can get the materials and the light right, the space usually finds its own character.

Images by Lorenzo Zandri.

h: Architecture has traditionally been a male-dominated field. What has your experience been like as a woman shaping your voice within the industry, and what has helped you stay grounded in your vision?

S: Thankfully for the most part I've been treated with respect, including on construction sites where I spend a lot of time and have always had good working relationships with crews. That said, it is a male-dominated field and there have been a handful of occasions where I felt my judgement was being questioned because of my gender, naturally those collaborations didn't work out. When someone doesn't believe in you from the start, it's very hard to build anything together.

What keeps me grounded is focusing on my own work and putting energy into collaborating with people who see me clearly, and not wasting time on those who perceive the fact that I am a woman as a valid reason to doubt me.

*Sofia, captured by Yiorgos Mavropoulos*.

h: Alongside your architectural work, you’ve recently explored furniture design with the Parrot Chair. How does working on a smaller, more tactile scale influence your creativity, and what did that piece allow you to express?

S: I truly enjoyed this collaboration. With furniture you're working right up close, every joint, every proportion, every small decision is visible and has to be exactly right. There's nowhere to hide, which I found really satisfying. The project duration was also really gratifying. With buildings there can be many administrative and bureaucratic stages where the creative energy gets diluted by permits and planning applications. With the Parrot Chair, the whole process felt creative from start to finish. It reminded me how much I enjoy that kind of focused problem-solving, and I'm planning on exploring this scale of work further.

*Sofia’s Parrot Chair - image by Alina Lefa.*

h: There’s a sense of care and intention in your work that feels very aligned with slower living. How do you personally stay connected to that pace and protect your creativity in a fast-moving industry?

S: I work hard and I'm consistent, I'll retry something as many times as it takes until I'm happy with the result. I don't follow trends, which means my decisions come from intention rather than from whatever feels current at the time. I think that's what gives the work a certain stillness.

It means a lot to hear that my spaces feel calm and unhurried, because that's exactly what I want them to be. I want people to feel sheltered, not distracted or overstimulated, just good and comfortable to be in.

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gallery credits: Plaka House - designed by Sofia (LocalLocal), photographed by Lorenzo Zandri

h: At heiter, we often explore the idea of finding beauty and joy in the everyday. Where do you currently find inspiration—whether in Athens or beyond—and what does a creatively fulfilling day look like for you?

S: I draw inspiration from everything. I walk almost everywhere in Athens and my mind is usually turning over whatever I'm working on at the time. If I see something on the street that connects to a project, I photograph it to come back to later. Inspiration doesn't really switch off. A creatively fulfilling day for me is one where I've solved something, a design challenge that was sitting there unresolved that has finally clicked into place. That feeling of finding the right answer, the one that makes the whole project complete.

There is something reassuring in the way Sofia speaks about her work—nothing feels rushed, or forced into being. Instead, it’s built slowly, through attention, care, and a deep trust in her own way of seeing.

A reminder, perhaps, that not everything needs to be reinvented or accelerated. That sometimes, the most meaningful work—and the most meaningful lives—are shaped by listening closely, and allowing things to unfold in their own time.

There is something I have never fully understood: why do we put so much effort into managing the outside world when deep down we know that what we experience really depends on the lens we look through.

‘We see people not as they are, but as we are.’ ― Anaïs Nin

We are the lens.

Leadership is no different. We lead from the inside out, often projecting our inner patterns into leadership dynamics without even noticing.

Before working in psychology, I was an architect. More precisely, an urban designer. I worked with frameworks and guidelines that shaped how cities would be built. I was designing streets, neighbourhoods, and public spaces, and often it was very technical.

And yet it was never really about the outside.

I remember reading The Eyes of the Skin by Finnish architect Juhani Pallasmaa. One line spoke to me: ‘Our body is both an object among objects and that which sees and touches them.’ That was a confirmation of what I already felt inside after a few meditation retreats I had attended, but it had to click — that we perceive reality through ourselves. Through the body. Through the mind. Through our internal reality.

That insight stayed with me when I later moved into psychology and leadership work. Or perhaps it was the very reason why I changed fields. Maybe it is the inner world we are meant to understand and take care of before trying to manage the outer one.

But the inner world is not always easy to face. It is intangible. It can feel uncomfortable, even threatening. We might not know where to start. We might carry aspects of ourselves we would rather not see. It is so uncomfortable to deal with doubts, fears, and unmet needs that we try very hard to keep them hidden from others — and from ourselves.

What we tend to forget is that what remains unseen inside us rarely stays contained.

“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.”

― C. G. Jung

What we try to hide often shows up through projection. We attribute our own fears, expectations, and beliefs to situations and people around us, and then respond as if they were facts.

In leadership, this happens more often than we realise. A leader who doubts themselves may tighten control. Others create unnecessary urgency and make rushed decisions when uncertainty feels very uncomfortable inside. Doubt and anxiety themselves are not the problem. They are deeply human. The problem is trying to solve something “out there” when it is an echo of something happening within.

I believe everyone is a leader. There is no need to differentiate between leadership at work and leadership in life. We don’t stop being leaders after working hours, as we all influence each other by touching each other’s lives every day and making decisions that impact others. In this sense, leadership from within is something we all take part in.

Becoming aware of the lens we are looking through is leading from within. It means we are not endlessly replaying the same inner patterns but meeting each moment with more clarity. It is about noticing when our reactions come more from our inner world than from the situation in front of us — and recognising that exactly then we have a choice. In my work, I see how even a small shift in awareness can change the entire dynamic of a conversation or decision: a choice to pause and see more clearly.

It is then that leadership becomes less driven by inner tension and more attuned to what is actually needed.

Perhaps this is also what blooming really means. Nothing to resolve or fix, but trusting that there is a seed inside each of us that already carries its own intelligence. A flower does not worry about when or how it will bloom. It responds to its inner intelligence and unfolds in its own time.

Leadership from within is much the same. When we bring gentle attention to our inner world, its nature begins to unfold effortlessly. Our actions become less reactive and more grounded. Our influence becomes less controlling and more supportive. And then we finally realise that we do not need to push so hard — but simply allow the world to see what is already blooming inside.

A few months ago I hosted the TEDxWoodLaneWomen conference in partnership with heiter, giving the stage to 18 female leaders to share their stories on the topic Leadership Within. Listening to the speakers, it was striking how change began with an inner shift and how powerfully that shift shaped the way we lead. The talks will be released soon, and they beautifully reflect how leadership begins to bloom from within.

Anna Kalbasko is a psychologist, inner work coach, TEDx speaker and host. She works with leaders and communities to explore leadership from the inside out, focusing on how our inner world shapes the way we lead and build relationships.

Trusting your voice, creating with intention: in conversation with architect Sofia Xanthakou

Leadership from within: how inner awareness shapes the way we lead